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THE LICENSING (SCOTLAND) BILL: AN ANALYSIS OF CONSULTATION RESPONSES
TWELVE: FEES
37. Do you agree that a retention fee for premises licences should be charged?
12.1 Submissions strongly conveyed that some were unclear as to the function of the retention fee and how it would be charged, several considering that this was an issue for the Expert Reference Group to decide. There were sixty-six responses, three quarters of which were supportive.
12.2 Those who disagreed were mainly concerned that small outlets would be hardest affected and might even give up their licence (for example, small shops in rural areas). Retention fees were perceived as another tax on the sector, while other licensing systems, such as for planning, taxis and late hours catering, did not carry any similar retention charges on top of other fees.
38. How can this best be done?
12.3 More than half of the 60 who provided some comment on this considered that an annual fee would be most appropriate. A banding system based on the nature and size of the business was suggested by a couple, calculated by, for example, a combination of elements like annual turnover, postcode, type of premises, risk evaluation, capacity and floor space. Collection methods were not considered, apart from a suggestion that annual invoices could be issued by the clerk or fees could be paid by direct debit.
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